Got a Hunch About the Visitor
by Rioki Moondove
Summary: 2nd in the 'Got A Hunch' Series. Follow Mar and Sain as they track down not one, but two secret organization that want to take out Venice. Can Abel, Tres, Asta, and Caterina keep up? Rated for language and possible violence.
1. Prologue

Hello All!! Welcome back to Got A Hunch!

I put the Author's Note at the end of the first book. Please look?

I messed with the original time line in the story (though you've probably guess this already). Also, I left Trinity Blood: Visitor From the Empire... someplace else. So this will be by ear until I go back... at the end of the week. I'll watch the episode (again, for the 10th time. At the end of this, it'll probably be the 100th time).

Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood, Psyren, or Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro or any of its characters. I do own Jay (though he is based off of someone in real life), Sain, Mar, Jane, and Brian.

Please review!

Edit: Thank you Sages for picking up my mistake! I put that Tristan was attacked on 2060, not 3060! Fixed it!

Editx2: Thanks Harper. Yes, he shook out his limbs, not limps...

* * *

Prologue

**February 3063 A.D.**

Jay smiled sweetly at the Nun who showed him to his room. She blushed and patted down her habit before turning away.

As soon as the door was closed, Jay shifted the ill-fitted cassock on his small form. A quick stop at the Vatican laundry and he had a disguise.

He sighed before shaking out his limbs, making himself limber for the next part. If his mental map was right (which couldn't be wrong because _Mar_ was the one to beat the importance of maps into his head), then Mar and Sain's room should be a floor up and two rooms down.

He smiled ruefully a he crossed the room to the window, shaking out his blonde locks and putting them up with a hair tie.

Before he met Sain and Mar, he never would have thought he would be walking around in a Priest cassock. Maybe a Nun's habit.

The window clunked as he slid it up to the locked position.

"_Could you do us a favor, Jay?"_

"_Of course. Anything for you, honey."_

He wasn't kidding. Sain's childlike nature with Mar's mothering were a powerful combination for making friends for life.

And the sadness in their eyes…Brian's too.

He closed his eyes before placing his foot on the sill.

* * *

**May 3063 A.D.**

The Airship Tristan was the first of its kind. The luxurious ship had rooms for every guest and staff member, a ball room, dining room, pool and more. After the hostile takeover of the ship in January of 3060, it was out of commission for a full year.

The elegantly tilted ballroom's outermost wall was glass and a metal bar separated the dancers and onlookers from a long fall. It was on this bar that a lone woman leaned, short haired fluffed up, backless black cocktail dress stopped just above the knee, and black stilettos made her long legs longer. She surveyed the passing landscape while fiddling with the waist length black pearl necklace that she wrapped around her neck twice.

"I haven't seen you so nervous for many years." Mar turned to the face Brian, his hair pulled back and the stylish suit called people's attention to his soft brown eyes. "And never so pale except right before and after the full moon." His finger lifted her chin so he could look at her face better.

Her eyes closed briefly. "You know why. I don't understand how you can be so calm."

He turned to lean his back against the bar, his fingers leaving her chin. "Yes, but I am one to look at the silver lining."

She ignored the tingle his finger left on her skin as she scowled at him. "'Silver Lining'? What, pray tell, is this 'silver lining'?"

He flinched slightly at her tone. Sain and Mar had far more anger from what happened than he and June. "We aren't alone anymore."

Mar sighed, shoulders slouching. "Yes, but they seem to be far more loyal to whomever is doing this to them if they are attacking people. If they are attacking us."

He shifted his weight onto his hip and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I bet if you talked to them-" She spun to glare at him again and he pulled her into a hug. "Give them a dose of 'Mama Bear'."

"We were children." Mar spoke into his jacket, voice thick with emotion. "We needed-"

"A mother. Yes, I know." He nuzzled her hair, breathing in the warm cinnamon scent that had calmed his fragile personality while they were growing. "Maybe-"

"The one you fought had a normal childhood… And then one day he murdered his mother."

He sighed, rubbing his knuckles against her bare back.

Another face, another name, and another hug flittered through her head, placing a rueful smile on her lips. _'Abel's spoiled me. All hugs will be compared with you now… Jerk.' _The last thought was half hearted.

"Ah… now that's not fair…" She lifted her head as he spoke. "You're in my arms, but you aren't thinking about me."

It was odd for one of the girls not having their full attention on him when he was around. Especially after they all hit puberty. Being the only boy who survived made it awkward at times. Even more so when someone many years ago compared the girls to the three faces of Eve: maiden, mother and crone.

"Abel?" He asked her. He was rewarded with a blush that crossed her nose and cheeks.

"What makes you think-"

"You said we would meet up with him again in Venice… And we're going to Venice." He was interrupted by the clapping of the crowd. They turned to see the audience applauding Sain, black hair falling out of her bun in an appealing way, after she concluded her dance.

His nudged Mar forward. "Go; take your mind off things by dancing with your Tovarisch."

* * *

The silvered-haired Priest idled on the deck of the ship. This was the single most important mission he's ever had. Today he'll be meeting up with an agent of the Empire. If everything went well, it could eventually open up a way for a treaty with the New Human Empire, something that Lady Caterina had been aiming for since she became a Cardinal. Something even more needed with the Neue Vatican still in hiding.

Abel sighed as he leaned against the rail. He hated traveling alone. It was a lot more fun with others. On the way to Rome with Esther, he pretended to be sea sick, something that he never was, but it was fun to see her reaction.

He rested his chin on his hands and his elbows against the rail as the ship pulled into port. When the milk-bottle glasses focused on Venice, a woman tugged at his thoughts. He shook his head to clear it, hands holding reddening cheeks. She said that they would meet again in Venice, but they hadn't seen hide nor hair of her or any of the others with her for almost three months.

"I am not a love-sick teenager!" He shouted into the bay when his blush wouldn't go away. People stared at him like he was a loony, but he preferred it.

"It's just a crush… yes, just a crush. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' as they say. Three months is quite a long time." He stumbled slightly when the boat finally docked.

"Yes, yes! I'm sure that when I see her again, I'll be completely fine!" His falsetto voice carried as he turned in a circle.

Pale blue eyes closed as he took a deep breath. He had a Methuselah to meet. He had no time to think about _her_. If they happened to meet…

"Well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

* * *

Review! Three before I update!

4/05 update:

Reviews needed: 3

Reviews received: 3

State of next chapter: Finished, Edited and Posted. Please proceed to the next chapter and review that one too?


	2. Chapter 1: Old Friends, New Allies

Aloha! Yes, yes, things did not go as planned. I was kidnapped many times over break so I didn't have time to write and what I wrote kind of clashed with the book... so I was stuck if I wanted to go with the anime or the book on this one and in the end I chose the book. It goes into more detail which is what you guys want, yes?

I hope some of you might have noticed the counter at the end of the last chapter and this one as well. Just something I thought up that I thought might interest you guys. I'll try to update it on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I believe today is the day I find out my roommates for next year... or something like that. They want me in a room with other people with similar numbers... (wonders if this is a trap!)

Edit: No, I just know that I will live down a floor and across the hall next year. My choices were tub + air conditioning or tub + kitchen. I chose air conditioning and will attack my friend for kitchen. Bonus: Air conditioning option is on the same floor as laundry! SCORE!

They won't give me the contact info for my new roommates until 2 weeks before the new semesters. Which is silly. But a lot of the things my school does is ridiculous. I memorized how to spell that word just for them (is actually terrible at spelling, just ask any of her editors).

Disclaimer: Don't own Abel or Asthe (or Asta as I've heard her be called)... or Venice. But I shall one day... oh, I shall...

I do own Mar, Sain, Brian, Jay... and anyone else I come up with! MUAHAHAHAHAH!

Word keeps change Asthe into As the. Had to change Word itself to not go crazy during this chapter.

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Chapter 1

Old Friends, New Allies

Abel turned his head at a familiar sound. Two girls were squealing at the fireworks, much like Sain and Jay had done months ago. This was probably the 12th time since he got off the boat that he stopped because something reminded him of….

At this rate he was going to be late. Maybe even very much so.

And knowing Methuselah, his contact would not be happy with tardiness. For people with far longer life-spans than the average Terran, they were an impatient race. He quickened his pace, but paused at the sight of an old blue trench coat.

* * *

**The streets of Venice were packed with masked revelers that night. Firecrackers and sparklers bright enough to outshine the two moons illuminated the basilica and the palace.**

"**Barbaric Terran," Asthe spat out.**

**Festive sounds wafted along the breeze, carried into the alley where she waited.**

**Vampire travelogues gave Asthe a general idea of what the Venetian Carnival was, but upon actually seeing it, she thought it was a ridiculous event. Asthe couldn't understand the Terran; she didn't understand the appeal of drinking all day and night for ten straight days.**

"**The meeting had to be here- of all places- and the contact is late," she muttered.**

**In Asthe's homeland, daily business started when the sun set. Here, however, the day began with the dawn. In the distance, she could hear the sound of bells ringing out, signifying midnight. It was a beginning of a new day for the Terran.**

**Her contact was very late. Irritated, she raised her leather coat's collar and removed her sunglasses. She did her best to blend in.**

**Her contact was supposedly one of **_**them**_**.**

'_**Is he really an AX agent?'**_** Even with all the legends surrounding the elite group, Asthe was convinced he would be weakly Terran, hardly worthy of note. She could probably do this job alone, but it was in her best interests to work with the Terran, so she waited. **

'_**If he's not here in five minutes…'**_

**It had taken centuries to find religious fanatics who would listen to their side. Many people would be upset if she went back empty-handed.**

"**The sooner I leave this monkey mountain the better." She nodded to herself.** What had possessed her to even consider learning about the Terran –

An extremely embarrassing episode came to the forefront of her thoughts, causing her cheeks to become a very "un-Methuselah" red.

She was taken from her thoughts by the sound of Terran quarreling.

* * *

When Abel arrived at the meeting point, there was already a problem. It seemed that two women didn't have enough money to pay four gondoliers so the men (one had suggested and all four agreed) were asking for… something else, to put it politely.

He silently chuckled under his breath as lines of 'this sounds like a job for _' went through his head. Pausing for a moment, he looked around to see if anyone else was going to help them in order to save himself from being drastically late.

No one. Looked like the job called for him.

"**Um, excuse me. Can you give me some directions? I'm looking for the road to the Sain Mark Plaza?"** He knew exactly where he was, but the best lies had seeds of truth in them. He just hoped his white lie would not lead him into too much trouble before his next confession. **"Venice is such a maze. Are you going to the festival, too?"**

"**Hey, Father, we're a little busy here," said a bearded oarsman. "Ask for directions from someone else, all right?"**

"**Well, but…" the Priest stalled. **Perhaps the girls would take the hint-

"**Oh, Father! Please help us!" one of the girls yelled. Both women ran toward the Priest. They pleaded with tearful eyes and clung to his worn-out robe**. Without even consciously thinking about it, Abel looked them over before being sure that they were not _them_. **"Please help us! They want us to-" the other girl started.**

"**We want them to pay for their ride. Anything else they say is a lie!" one of the oarsmen shouted.**

Abel wanted to sigh. Did these men really think that they were in the right? Or did they just believe that they were being discrete?

"**Hm… Why don't you cut them a break, just this once?" Abel offered.**

**The oarsmen, riled up by liquor and the thought of** pleasant company**, were not easily swayed. They stepped forward. Abel held up his hands in a gesture of peace. The girls grabbed each other and shook from fear. **

Again Abel felt like sighing. It looked like the only way out of this was though pain.

"**Violence isn't the answer, guys. Please turn the other cheek," Abel reasoned,** trying to find a way out that wasn't as uncomfortable as this looked like it was going to be.

**The oar swung around quickly, but Abel ducked it easily.**

"**Run, ladies," he commanded.**

"**Don't you go anywhere," the bearded oarsman said menacingly.**

**But now it was too late for the gondoliers. The ladies' colorful dressed fluttered in the wind as they rounded the corner,** calling for help.

"**Problem solved," Abel said**, not hopeful for help. They probably wouldn't get here before he got a bruise or two. And then he would be extraordinarily late for his contact. Today was not his day and it had just started. **"The ladies are gone. You guys have nothing to be mad about anymore. Let's just all go home."**

**The oarsmen slowly surrounded Abel like a pack of wild dogs.**

"**Guys, guys, guys. Let's talk this out," Abel said**, silently counting oars and men. This was going to leave him sore but if he did it right, no one else would get hurt.

"**Get him!" the bearded oarsman said.**

"**It's a sin to fight a priest," Abel whispered as they closed in**. His robes had saved him on occasion, but it looked like they were not going to this day.

Oars were raised over head or pulled back and Abel reached out to take his glasses off to protect them. The first oar lowered from the sky but instead of smacking against flesh like it intended, it was deflected by an up raised arm to strike the cobble stone streets before it was yanked out of its owner's hands.

"Oy," The first word had an Albian accent attached to it but the rest of the sentence could have been spoken by a native born of Venice. "Back off or there will be trouble."

Abel lowered the arm protecting his face and couldn't keep the silly grin that appeared on his face from staying.

'_So this is what they meant by "butterflies",'_ he thought, referring to the fluttering feeling he was getting from his stomach. _'Come on Abel, try to have some decorum!'_

"Ah! Um… Nice to see you again, Miss Mar." He was going to kick himself for such a lame greeting when she turned her head and gave him a small smile.

'_Butterflies! Stay in my stomach!'_ Some must have escaped to create chaos in his chest, specifically around his heart and lungs.

'_Was it ever this hard to breathe around-?'_

"Father Nightroad. It's… a pleasure to see you again too."

* * *

GAH! DIDN'T GET IT!

Updated: 6/22

Reviews required: 4

Reviews received: 3

State of the next chapter: Posted! Please review this chapter and go to the next!


	3. Chapter 2: All Out of Bubble Gum

Okay, its been a long time since I updated, I know... but things came up and I DIDN'T GET THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF REVIEWS! -hint hint, wink wink-.

Anyway, NEW REVIEWER! KaL!

Sorry KaL, if you're looking for Nougami Neuro or Yako, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed... A random demon from hell that solves crimes doesn't _quite _fit into the TB universe... in my mind anyway. Six's legion of villains on the other hand will fit right in.

Trinity Blood - Rage Against the Moons Volume 1:Visitor From the Empire by Sunao Yoshida and Thores Shibamoto (- this guy I haven't heard of before... but Amazon says its by him too) is the name of this book. It is the first book in the series. The RAM books are Pre-Esther (as I like to call them) so you won't find them in the Manga (because that starts with Trinity Blood - Reborn on the Mars Volume 1: The Star of Sorrow). I'm placing a good portion of the RAM books in the 6 months Esther took in her training. Savvy?

Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood, Psyren, or Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro or any of its characters. I do own Jay (though he is based off of someone in real life), Sain, Mar, Jane, and Brian

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Chapter 2

All Out of Bubble Gum

"Thanks again for the ride, Thomas." Mar said with a soft smile as the older man ferried them down one of the rivers of Venice in his gondola. The grandfather-like Thomas smiled boyishly in return.

"Not a problem, dear. But mind you, your accent is peeking out." He winked as her as though he were 40 years younger. "A rookie mistake for _**you**_ to be taking, eh?"

Mar blushed in shame as Sain jabbed her in the ribs with a laugh. Behind them, Brian hid his chuckle behind a hand.

"You're right." Despite him making fun of her, her good natured smile returned. "I'll be more careful."

Thomas nodded. "We all need to be more careful… especially in this part of the river. There have been a number of deaths recently, and they all look like the work of a v-" He stopped himself. For a moment it was a battle of programmings. The girls taught him long ago that the Methuselah were to be respected but not feared. But after he and they began walking down separate paths, he had to fall back to calling the Methuselah "Vampires" or be thought a supporter of the longer lived race. Business would suffer terribly because of it and he had a wife and kids to feed.

'_I wonder if I should go back to the __**right**__ way? The kids are grown but the wife… I'll need to talk to her first.'_ He nodded, coming to a decision. It was easy to stand up for something when you didn't have much to lose.

"They all look like the work of a very disturbed Methuselah." He nodded again, liking his explanation. He paused, noticing that the three's attention were somewhere else. Their heads were turned like they had heard something he didn't before Sain shifted in her seat.

"I'll stay here."

Mar didn't even turn to her, her sight locked onto something in the distance. "You're going to steal my seat as soon as I'm gone, aren't you?"

Sain shrugged, her Cheshire grin threatening to break out on her face. She tried to hold it in, but it came out miniaturized. "That is the plan."

"Thanks for being honest." Mar sighed as Brian told Thomas that someone was calling for help.

"No problem."

Mar turned back to Thomas. "We'll meet up with you after, okay?"

Thomas nodded and the boat barely rocked when the two jumped off and onto the shore, disappearing from sight. Sain smirked as she spread herself across the seats that she and Mar had occupied together before curling up like a cat.

* * *

Mar lead the way to the girls but Brian managed to calm them down. There was something about those big, loyal brown eyes that reassured them. They clung to his tailor-made jacket as they told Mar about the Priest who rescued him. At the mention of his silver hair and glasses, Mar was off, not even asking what direction they had come from.

'_Where is Abel Nightroad?' _The little red dot that represented the Priest appeared on her mental map. _'Ahh, found you.'_

She didn't even pause as she took in the oar coming down on the tall man, just moved and blocked. The next moment she pulled it out of the assailant's hands.

"Oy," Mar mentally smacked herself in the head for letting her accent show again. _'Can't let random people know where I'm from!'_ "Back off or there will be trouble."

There was a pause as the men assessed the new threat.

"Ah! Um… Nice to see you again, Miss Mar."

His voice from behind caused her to shudder slightly. _'Darn him! I'm busy right now!'_ She turned to give him a small smile before turning back to the men.

"Father Nightroad. It's," Her heart thumped unsteadily before she forced herself to finish answering, "… a pleasure to see you again too."

Their four attackers looked at each other before circling the two. Abel's back met hers to keep an eye on those behind them and they both had to keep from smiling.

"So, ever think about showing them your Peacemaker(1) and scaring them off that way?" She asked.

"Well, what if they didn't believe me? Then I'd have to shoot someone…" His falsetto grated on her nerves.

"Then you shoot into the air."

"And what if I hit a bird?"

Instead of smacking _him_ like she wanted to, she hit a gondolier, knocking him sideways and into the canal.

"Miss Mar, you are so violent." She heard the sound of wood hitting flesh, a startled squawk and Abel's stance changed, like he had something to fight with in his hands.

"You haven't seen Sain upset, have you?" The last oarsman with an actual oar looked at them before diving at Mar. She reached behind her and pulled Abel to the side so the oar didn't get him as she dodged. She used her foot to trap the oar and then smashed her own into the man's side.

Abel struck an unarmed man who tried to attack Mar's blind spot, clobbering him into one of his buddies.

The oarsmen regrouped and ran, helping the last one Mar hit limp away. Abel and Mar's oars clattered to the ground as they dropped them and Mar took the opportunity to stretch.

Abel turned to speak to her and stopped short, abruptly noticing her backless dress. There was a moment of silence as he took in the way her muscles moved as she stretched and fluffed up her hair before she turned to him.

Again he was struck into silence as he looked at her face. Mar was about to say something up the way he looked at her made her feel self conscious.

"Is there something on my face?"

"Ah!" Abel suddenly realized he had been staring at her and quickly explained. _'She's so pale…'_ "You- You're- Are you alright?"

"Oro?" She blinked at him before answering automatically. "Yes, everything's-"

He gave her a knowing look, causing her to sigh and rub the back of her neck with her right hand. His hands met her right one and his eyes asked her for permission before kneading the cramping muscles. He took the opportunity to pull her closer so his head could rest on hers.

"Is it bad?"

"_Is it that bad?" The wide eyes of the children stared at her, trusting her. And she had to lie to them, had to tell them that it didn't hurt, that she didn't want to cry because of the pain. Had to because __**he**__ told her that it was important that the children cooperated._

_So, she lied._

_And four pairs of those wide eyes didn't look up at her the next time. 'Sent home' they told her._

"_Marma?"_

"Mar?"

She moved forward without thinking, wrapping her arms under his, her hands clenching his black cassock.

"Ara?" Abel was startled but quickly reacted, his hands going from her neck to touching his own arms as he squeezed her to him. Mar's hands shifted as well, one grasping the fabric behind his shoulder while the other tightened around his middle.

He could sense that she didn't need words, just someone to lean on as he felt her breathe in before sighing. Tension left her body as the seconds ticked by and she repositioned herself so her nose was just over his shoulder.

He began rubbing circles on her back when her grip on him loosened and she sighed again.

"Mar?"

Abel felt Mar tense up again before she pulled away from him, a smile on her face. He tilted his head as he watched a mask fall into place on her face.

"Yeah Brian?" Mar turned to give the new comer her profile and a reassuring smile.

Brian slowly approached with the two girls, one on each arm. When he saw Mar's smile, he visibly relaxed.

"See Ladies? Mar might not look like much, but she packs a wallop." He smiled boyishly as the girls rushed to the Priest.

Something clicked in Abel's head as the rescued girls thanked him and hurried off –but not before they gave Brian the number of the hotel they were staying at.

"Goooodbye LadiEees!" Brian sang, watching them leave while walking backwards, and putting an arm around Abel. They looked at each other before turning back to the girls.

"Gooooooodbye LadiEeeees!" They sang together and the last thing they saw of the girls was them giggling out of sight.

Brian turned to Mar and got an approving smile before she tilted her head and looked at Abel expectantly.

"Ara?" He asked her, confused.

"Abel, you're getting the 'Don't you have something more productive to do?' look. I suggest you figure it out before _Sain_ has to tell you what it is." Abel looked at Brian as he spoke. His voice took on the higher pitch of Sain's lit. "'If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred, million-' Ah!" He cut himself off as he took in a breath before his head cocked to the side. "Ah, I see!" He smirked at Abel as he tapped the side of his nose. "I know why you're here." He wiggled his eyebrows at Mar. "Someone else we know is here."

She blinked, her brow furrowing.

"Times up!" Brian grabbed Abel's other arm and spun the Priest until he was at arm's length from the blue haired man. "You're here for her!" He pointed **to an alabaster goddess** that was watching them from down the way. **Her hair was ivory colored, except for a stripe of red that hung down over her face. At least six feet tall, with a long black coat that hung down to her heels, she looked young, barely out of her teens. **"Duchess Asran!" And he was off, pouncing the undercover Methuselah before she had time to react. "ASTHE!" If he had a tail, he would be wagging it.

"Oh, you're here for the Duchess of Odessa and Kiev." Mar cupped one of her cheeks, her other arm supporting her elbow. She looked Abel up and down before sighing lightly. "You'll be good for her."

* * *

1) Peacemaker is the name of Abel's gun... I think...

Updated: 9/3/10

Reviews required: 4

Reviews received: 4

State of the next chapter: Written! Posted!


	4. Chapter 3: Solid and Cool

Soo... yes, I am very (two months) late with the update. Totally and completely my fault. I just had a problem with showing Asthe's feelings. She keeps going from 'Nice Asthe' to 'Terrans-are-beneath-me Asthe'. -le sigh-

And then I had Abel getting mad and part of me said that it was out of character... But really, its not. When he was growing up, Abel was far more... easily angered than he is now. So he is allowed to get frustrated every now and then. Right?

Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood. I do own Sain, Mar, Brian, and Thomas. And this plot.

"talking"

_'Thinking'_

**_'Sound effects'_**

I don't usually put these up because I'm pretty sure people figure them out, but I have thoughts interrupting talking sentences so there is potential for confusion.

Edit: Thanks Harpmaker for pointing out that I didn't mean 'permit scowl' but 'permanent scowl'. Also, my brain really didn't want to spell that word for some reason...

* * *

Chapter 3

Solid and Cool

"Oh, you're here for the Duchess of Odessa and Kiev." Mar cupped one of her cheeks, her other arm supporting her elbow. She looked Abel up and down before sighing lightly. "You'll be good for her."

Abel stared at her back for a moment as she walked away from him.

"And what the bloody h*** is that suppose to mean?" For the first time in a very long time, Abel lost his cool. He was more than a little miffed that Mar _(and others)_ apparently knew his contact **and** she were being cryptic. _Again. _

Mar stopped and turned to look at him with searching eyes. "You wouldn't happen to be Albian, would you?" Her hands went behind her back as she bent to look up into his eyes before walking toward Brian and Asthe again. Abel took advantage of his long legs to catch up as he nervously rubbed the back of his head. A little truth couldn't hurt. Maybe it would inspire others to act similarly.

"Well, I was" _'created'_ "born there. Spent a few years there before I left" _'for another planet.'_ "Are you Albian?" He turned his head to watch hers shake.

"No, not Albian. I am British though."

Abel blinked, surprised. "I haven't heard that term in a while."

It was Mar's turn to look surprised. "Really?"

Abel had to physically stop his palm from connecting with his forehead. _'There hasn't been a Britain for almost nine hundred years!' "_I mean… How do you know-?"

"Sain uses it sometimes." Mar responded off handedly.

"Which doesn't help because Lady Sain is insane." The Duchess of Kiev interrupted, making Abel jump in surprise. The woman seemed to have a permanent scowl even when Abel gave her a heartfelt smile.

"That seems to be a little harsh, Miss Asthe." Brian rubbed the top of his head against the Noble's upper arm affectionately.

Asthe turned to snap at the overly friendly man before being distracted by Mar picking up a lock of the Methuselah's snow white hair. "Astharoshe, your lovely hair-?"

Asthe's head suddenly slumped forward and away from them, her bangs covering up her eyes but not her trembling lower lip being held between her teeth. Mar reached up and wrapped her arms around the distraught girl. Mar patted her head lovingly, whispering comforting words. For a moment Abel watched as the Duchess' shoulders shook before the Methuselah pulled back. She didn't get very far because Mar kept her in place for a moment longer, nuzzling the stripe of red in the taller woman's hair.

"Tell me." Mar breathed into her hair.

Abel could see Asthe swallow thickly. Suddenly the woman jerked up, towering nearly a head taller than Mar before wiping her eyes. "Later. I have a job to do."

Mar smiled in a motherly way that Asthe seemed to soak up like- well, Abel would say sunshine, but Asthe was a Methuselah so…. Moonlight?

The Ax Agent smirked at his thoughts before he realized he was being glared at by the blonde woman. "Ara?"

"You are late, Terran."

"I-I was- weren't you- didn't you see me?" He was pointing to where he and Mar had dispatched the oarsmen a few minutes before.

"You were late before then." Her tone said that he really shouldn't argue.

So he didn't, he just hung his head in apology. "Sorry." He almost said that he got lost, but he already filled his quota for white lies that day.

"Asthe, Asthe!" Brian decided to speak up in the Priest's defense. "This is Father Abel Nightroad. He's solid and he's cool." The last part was said with a thumbs-up.

The Methuselah snorted, crossing her arms under her chest and leaning on her hip, making her very imposing. With his slouching, Asthe was taller than Abel.

"Yeah, Miss Asthe, I'm your partner for this-" Asthe moved so quickly that none of them had time to react before her hand was around Abel's throat and lifting him off the cobblestones.

"A partner is someone who you can trust with your life when all others turn their back on you. Someone who will gladly-" The Methuselah stopped, pain settling over her features. She finished the sentence in a whisper before shouting in his face again while shaking him. "Someone who will gladly die for you. You are NOT my partner, Terran!" Asthe spat at him, her fangs peeking out.

"Asthe." Mar gently chided. Apparently she wasn't afraid that the Duchess wouldn't just pop his head off. However, this was Abel's chief concern other than getting a concussion from the shaking.

The blonde woman made a face of frustration before tossing the Priest to the side. Abel landed on his side and skidded once before Brian helped him up.

"If you three are here."Asthe apparently knew that Mar and Sain were always together. "I suppose you are here for the same thing I am."

Brian looked away, a little sheepish as Mar answered for them. "I'm afraid not, Duchess. An issue has arisen that has required our complete attention. It's very possible our paths will cross along our missions though."

Asthe scowled before crossing her arms again. "Can you at least tell me where Endre is?"

"We have a gondola that will take you to where he has been." Brian supplied helpfully. When the Methuselah scowled at him (well, scowled harder at him), he put up his hands in surrender. "Look, _you_ don't like it when we hand everything to you and _we_ don't like it because then people never learn. You gotta start at the beginning."

Mar was nodding sagely when there was heard a distant **'_crack_'** followed by a roaring **'_BOOOM_!**' causing the entire group to jump in its shockwave.

"What the H*** was that?" Asthe looked stunned as a cloud of black dust was seen rising a few blocks away.

"Was that…" Abel looked unsure of himself. They had stopped making them long before Armageddon and he had only seen/heard one once. "Was that a Walker Colt?"

"YOU GOT HER THE WALKER COLT?" Brian screamed at Mar. She blinked like she was confused.

"Should I not have?"She cocked her head to the side in thought. "It's not like she's gonna hit anyone… well, by accident, I mean. It works better as a smoke screen in my book…" She trailed off as she journeyed to where the shot was fired. "I think she wants us over there." She added when they didn't immediately follow.

* * *

I also don't own a Walker Colt, but I know someone who does, so...

Posted: 9/3/10

Updated: 9/7/10

Reviews required: 4

Reviews received: 2 - yes, I know I'm updating now, but I'm bored, I have a really terrible sunburn and I want some reviews. If you come to this chapter and haven't reviewed, please, could you find it in yourself to review and help out an injured woman?

State of the next chapter: Written! And Posted! Continue on (after reviewing?) to the next installment!

Bonus points! Which comedian has a... skit? storyline?... that has the "No, no, trust me, he's cool. He's solid and he's cool."


	5. Chapter 4: A Tale of Two Venices

Its here! I updated before schedule!

I'd like to thank Author Patricia Briggs for inspiring me to write again. I think her books have put me in the right mood/mindset!

Yes, I am sunburned. From a little bit above my waist to my left foot's ankle it is an angry red. There are other spots but not as epically large. It... is odd sitting down because it mostly itches...

Anyway, yes PirateTree, Dane was the comedian I was looking for! Well done! You could say this chapter is for you...

Harpmaker, I changed the problem you found in the last chapter. Thank you again for pointing that out.

Disclaimer: Bold is from the book, no-bold is mine. Abel, Asthe, Endre, Venice and Nantes do not belong to me... yet.

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Chapter 4

A Tale of Two Venices

"So…" Abel was facing Mar as she helped him into the gondola. He stumbled (It wasn't on purpose, really!) but she had "sturdy sea legs" as Brian said. "What are you here for, if not Endre?"

**There had been a series of murders in Venice, all of which implicated a vampire as the killer. Two weeks ago, the tide gate manager at the Moses Dam, which separated the lagoon and the outer sea, went missing. His body, sans head, had been recovered-drained of blood.**

**The second incident was worse. The dam's entire night shift, twenty men in total, had been massacred. They were flayed from the tops of their heads to the soles of their feet. The company was rumored to have ties with organized crime, so it was initially believed to have been the result of underhanded business dealing gone badly. Some of the corpses still hadn't been identified. Autopsies concluded that exsanguination was the most common cause of death.**

**The third incident was the death of an assistant archeology professor at the Venetian College. He and his family were killed in their home five days ago. According to the police investigation, the assistant professor made counterfeit antiques on the side, but there were no other details.**

**In all three cases, the bite marks matched. It was believed that this was the work of one killer, or a group of killers working together. Vampire killings were rare, but not unheard of. One clue, however, pointed the investigation in an uncomfortable direction. The professor was wearing a ring bearing the emblem of a foreign, **_**non-human**_** country.**

The gondola was a tight fit but Sain took it upon herself to sit in Asthe's lap. Abel half expected (more than that, actually) the Duchess to be outraged and toss her overboard. Instead the Methuselah undid Sain's hair and, taking a comb Mar offered, started taking out the ebony knots. After a moment, the blonde woman relaxed into the mindless task.

"Have you heard what happened to Nantes?" Mar asked him as she adjusted her dress.

Abel frowned. He had. Nantes, a city in Northern France, was often called the Venice of the West because of the three rivers running through it: the Loire, the Erdre, and the Sèvre. During Armageddon, the city was left almost untouched but the period of wars with the Methuselah afterwards, the Dark Ages, had nearly ruined it. The city went from housing 800,000 people to a little over 50,000.

And about a month ago, all three dams that held the rivers from covering the city suddenly broke. The error was caused, as the newspapers said, by rain damage. The AX looked into it to see if there were any connections to the Rosenkreuz Orden but none could be found. It looked like a simple malfunction caused by nature.

"We were late." Brian growled out, staring out into the grimy water of the canal.

Abel had to bite back a smile. When he heard the report, he thought they, Mar and Sain anyway, might have had something to do with it.

"Couldn't have been too late. Only 47 people drowned." Asthe had been listening and apparently knew the event. "Should have realized that you were involved."

Abel gave the Duchess a look. "How to you know each other again? And why are you all dressed up to go to a ball or something?" He indicated Mar, Sain and Brian's style of dress.

"We just got off the Tristan." Sain said with a slight purr. Asthe had moved from combing to petting. "We are not dressed up for a ball. Ball dresses are more epic than this."

"We have a branch in the Empire. Asthe and Len-" Asthe flinched as Brian explained, "both interned there."

Mar saw the flinch and gently touched Abel's arm to keep him from asking. "Anyway, that- Nantes- was a test run. We think Venice is the real target."

Abel jerked to look at her directly. "The Pope will be in town soon."

Asthe's head shot up to look at Abel. "When?"

The Priest looked at her strangely. She was a Methuselah and, according to the Inquisition, a heretic. Why would she care when the Pope was where? _'Unless,'_ he thought and hoped it wasn't true, _'she is supposed to kill him.'_

"Two days from now he's suppose to escort the remains of Saint Mark to its final resting place, here in Venice." Thomas said when Abel took too long to answer. His five passengers turned to look up at him as he steered and pushed along the gondola. "What? I can't answer a simple question? Father Nightroad, friends of the girls are good people." He smiled at the Duchess. She gave him a blank look before revealing a hesitant smile.

The smile dropped quickly though and the Methuselah chewed on her lip before letting out a sigh. "Do you trust him?" She asked Mar. "Both of them?" She indicated Thomas as well.

"With my life." Mar looked Asthe in the eye as she answered.

The Methuselah kept eye contact before scowling and swearing. "What I'm about to say could very well get me in a lot of trouble."

"What kind of trouble? Are we talking about a slap on the wrist or exile?" Brian asked, completely serious.

"Does it matter?" Asthe snapped. "It must be said." She scowled for a moment longer while everyone waited for her before finally talking. "Endre is notorious for committing genocide against the Terran, **but he was exiled from the Empire because he was guilty of **_**treason**_**.** He's been trying to start a war with the Terran."

There was a pause as they all absorbed the information she gave them. The easiest (or at least the surest) was to start a war between the Empire and the Vatican is if the Pope was murdered by an imperial noble. There would be open war in less than 24 hours.

"Are…" Abel hesitated, knowing he was clutching at straws. "Are you sure that the Methuselah killing people in Venice is Endre?"

"You said you found a ring?" Asthe asked him. The Priest fished in his pockets, for once going straight for his target instead of making a big mess in the attempt and produced a moonstone ring. **She snatched **_**it**_** from Abel's open palm. It was easy for her to make out all its laser-etched intricacies. The base's design depicted two moons, one large and one small- the symbol of the New Human Empire. The top of the ring showed a dragon holding a sword and dagger. This was the symbol of Count Zagrev's- **Endre's**- family. Only nobles were allowed to have such a ring. "This is, without a doubt, his ring. You humans don't have the technology to forge this sort of design**."

* * *

Posted: 9/7/10

Updated: 9/16/10

Reviews required: 4

Reviews received: 2 (Still waiting, even nine days later...)

State of the next chapter: Written! Twice in a row! AMAZING!


	6. Chapter 5: OMGosh SHOES!

So yeah... waited and waited and waited for two more reviews... and they never came! For shame!

And then my computer died and I had to do a file transfer.

Today is the first day of the Spring semester for me. I need to take at least 4 English classes so I will probably be slow to update but I will try my hardest to get you guys updates IF I HAVE REVIEWS!

Editx1: yes, PirateTree, I did mean Infiltrate. BUT! Asta and Abel could also infuriate them in disguise too!

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Chapter 5

OMGosh, SHOES!

"**Marco Colleoni was Venice's top antique merchant and appraiser," Abel said** as he looked down at the scattered valuable artifacts. **On the ground next to Marco's body was a message written in blood; a large, red upside-down cross and **_**Igne Natura Renovatur Integra**_**, which meant "with our fire, we will renew the world," were scribbled on the floor.**

**The letters were big and bold. Colleoni's blood wasn't the only source of paint. The rest of his family, drained dry, lay beside the cross. Even the Colleoni baby.**

Abel sighed as he looked down. No wonder Mar and the others didn't come in. All five bodies- the father, mother, older and younger sons and baby- were brutally killed.

He kept track of Asthe through the corner of his eye. She seemed furious. The file on Endre said that this was his M.O. and if he wasn't apprehended his actions could start a war.

Which, according to Asthe, was exactly what the **Count of Zagrev and the Empire's worst slaughterer **wanted.

"_**Domine me lequit kasas miseri insanctis amiqui**_**. Amen," Abel whispered**. _'I hope GaH,'_ he mentally chuckled at the abbreviation, _'is having more luck than us.'

* * *

_

"Thanks Thomas!" Mar said again as they exited the gondola at one of the dams. She reached into her purse and presented him with far more than was due. He tried to wave her off but she continued. "I think you should go back and pick up Abel and Asthe soon. She's got to go back before dawn. Consider this an apology."

He blinked at her. "For what?"

"For leaving you alone with those two knuckle heads." Brian replied as he started down the edge of the dam.

"Oh and Thomas!" Sain called out to the gondolier as he started paddling away. "Make sure you give that to Asthe and Abel please!"

Thomas nodded as he smiled and waved with his hat. He had wondered why they left it behind.

"Okay, shall I go look down this embankment, and you two look down that one and we both keep going until we hit the ocean and then come back?" Brian suggested as he began to stroll down the dam. If they looked suspicious, they could get kicked out by the authorities and then they wouldn't know if there was a trap already in place.

They were pretty sure though that the dam wasn't going to be destroyed by a bomb or trap (the Venetians weren't dumb and the three could already see at least 4 undercover cops just to watch that area). The survivors from Nantes reported _seeing __**something**_ destroy the levees.

One old sea dog swore up and down that he knew what it was. "_Leviathan_."

* * *

Asthe dropped Abel after he again called her his partner. He had been turning blue but the others had warned him! "That is your last warning Terran before I kill you!"

"**I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to offend you…" he whispered.**

**A wave of self-doubt crashed over Asthe, but she refused to acknowledge it or show signs of remorse. **

Abel rubbed his neck as Asthe knelt over the bodies.

"_You'll be good for her."_ Mar had said. Good punching practice?

He sighed. It really was his fault this time. He had to push a button that he had no business knowing about.

"**A medal? Or is it a coin?"** Asthe was speaking under her breath, drawing Abel's attention. In her hand was a coin with the image of a crucified Jesus carved on it with the letters I.N.R.I which he **knew stood for **_**Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum**_** or "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."**

Asthe had a strange look on her face. **Among the Terran in her country, it was customary to place a coin in the mouth of the deceased, so the person's soul could pay the fare to cross the river Styx.** Do the Terran in this country have the same custom?

She raised her head to ask Abel and stopped. Behind the Priest was a family portrait. **"Wait a minute," she said.**

**There in the faded silver placard sat the Colleoni family, wearing their best clothes. Marco looked like a typically stern, middle-aged father. Sitting next to him was his sympathetic daughter. In the back row was the eldest, loyal son. Next to him were his faithful wife and the newborn infant.**

**Then there was the younger, rebellious second son.**

Abel said something, but she ignored it. **"Their corpses don't add up," she said.**

"Ara?"

"**There's a body missing. You didn't see the young girl, did you?"**

**The teenage girl in the portrait had adorably large eyes; she looked the very picture of innocence.**

Abel was already checking the case notes**. "Her name is Foscarina Colleoni. She's seventeen. She ran away from home about a month ago," he read.** "Apparently **she had an argument with her father over her new boyfriend."**

"**Why would they argue over that?" Asthe asked, becoming more and more exasperated with the Priest.**

"Well um…" The Empire had different views on marriage. Able suddenly looked like a deer in headlights as he realize he might have to explain the difference to Asthe. To the Duchess.

Asthe glared at him before finally shaking her head. He was taking too long and the sun was coming back up. **"Where is the girl now?"**

"**Unknown. The parents did some investigating, but she hasn't been found yet. 'Last seen hanging out near her boyfriend's job… at a casino called INRI,'" he read. **

Puzzle pieces coming together.

Asthe started to go. "I've run out of time today. I need to go back to my hotel." She opened the front door and first frowned at the brightening sky, but then looked shocked to see a certain old gentleman waiting with his gondola.

"Ah, Your Grace, Father!" He called out to them. "Care for a ride? It's already been paid for."

"They sent you back?" Abel asked from behind her. Thomas nodded as he helped Asthe into the boat.

"Yes. They got to where they needed to go… and they send me back to keep you two on your best behavior." He smiled at the Duchess. "Will you be on your best behavior, Signorina?"

Asthe's face turned red at his tone. "I'm always on my best behavior!" Her thumb stabbed in Abel's direction. "He's the one you need to watch!"

"Asthe! That's mean!"

"Don't call me Asthe!" She growled at him. Suddenly she noticed a trunk in the gondola with them. "What's that?"

"Oh, yes! Sain said it was for you two."

"For us?" Abel seemed unusually cheerful to Asthe.

'_He must not get a lot of gifts.' _The thought made her give him another look. She was a duchess; people were always throwing gifts at her for one reason or another. But the Priesthoods took vows of poverty, didn't they? When was the last time anyone gave this man a gift?

"Can you even keep it?" Asthe didn't mean to say that out loud but she couldn't take it back.

Abel looked up at her, his hands hidden in a pair of Italian leather shoes. "Ah…" He smiled at her. "Probably not. I'll have to either return them or give them to charity." His smile seemed sad, but his eyes were happy. "But it's the thought that counts, right?"

"Ah, yes." Asthe's scowl finally disappeared as she thought back to her childhood. Her favorite maid had made her a doll. It wasn't particularly well made and she broke it several times (mostly on accident) but Miriam, the maid, kept fixing it for her.

'_How long ago did Miriam die?'_ She was a Terran. Asthe couldn't understand the nobles who kept Terrans on staff. Auto-dolls never died and rarely needed replacing.

Did the nobles ignore the Terrans? Pretend they were never there when they passed on?

Did they cherish every one as they grew old and died before their eyes?

Asthe's eyes lingered on Thomas. How long ago did _they_ meet him? There was no question that they would mourn his eventual passing, so why did they continue making friends? When Len died-

Asthe's world threatened to close in on her as the sorrow clenched around her heart.

When Len was _murdered_-!

"ASTHE!" Abel's voice broke the spell of despair and she looked back at him.

He apparently didn't notice her attack as he cheerfully held up a pair of masks. Good, she didn't want to explain anything to this man-

Who was so excited to get a _pair of shoes_…

"I think Mar and the others want us to infiltrate the casino, IN DISGUISE!" He was far too excited for an undercover mission.

"No." The word left her without a thought and his face crumbled.

"But they already got us the stuff." His eyes got bigger and he looked at her though his lashes.

"No." Why was it suddenly so fun to tease him?

Thomas chuckled from behind her. "Signorina, I don't think you'll win this argument."

She sighed heavily. "I know."

"YAY!"

* * *

Please review!

Posted: 1/10/11

Updated: 2/25/11

Reviews required: 3 (took it down for you guys!)

Reviews received: 3 (yay!)

State of the next chapter: Posted!


	7. Chapter 6: And There was Much Rolling

This chapter is for Cat of the World who was the third reviewer I needed! Huzzah to Cat!

Edit from last chapter: yes, PirateTree, I did mean Infiltrate. BUT! Asta and Abel could also infuriate them in disguise too!

You guys should already know who I own and who I don't. To review though: Abel, Asthe, Kampfer, Endre, Georgioni and the guards in INRI are not mine. Mar, Sain, Brian and the spoken of June are.

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Chapter 6

And There was Much Rolling

**While the Saint Mark Plaza, with its palazzo and basilica, was considered the face of Venice, the canals were the heart of the city. Beneath the surface, Venice was a city of consumption and greed, and Rialto Bridge was the center of that dark underworld.**

**Underneath the large arching bridge that spanned the Grand Canal, several shops, clubs, restaurants, casinos and **houses of pleasure** lined up-one after another. Gaudy lights lit up the strip at night.**

**A tall man in a "tactician" mask gracefully disembarked from his gondola. His neatly-tailored charcoal suit and hip-length black cape contrasted sharply with his white mask.**

**The Tactician descended a marble staircase that led to a darkened study beneath the seedy street. There, he saw a young boy who casually had his head propped up on a rosewood desk.**

**He was a very handsome boy. Even in the dim light, his face seemed to glow like an angel's. He looked ten or eleven years old, but his brassy-colored eyes betrayed a thousand year's worth of evil.**

"**Would you like a drink?" the boy offered.**

"**I restrict my consumption of wine on business trips," the Tactician replied.**

"**That's too bad. Then again, I suppose you Terran cannot appreciate the taste of this delicious drink," the boy ventured, his words honeyed and his meaning full of venom.**

**The boy-Endre Kourza, Count of Zagrev- curled his upper lip, revealing his fangs. He lifted the decanter off the desk, poured a think red drink, and downed it in one gulp. "Venetian. Good quality." The count laughed.**

**The Tactician guessed, "The appraiser's daughter?"**

"**She said she wanted to go back to her family. So I arranged a family reunion of sorts," the count joked.**

**Giggling, the count covered his mouth with his delicate hands.**

**The long-haired Tactician reacted indifferently. He shrugged, staying all business. "Count, will you please refrain from drawing any undue attention? Last night, a visitor from your country arrived **and a group of detectives have come from Albion**. Do you know a young lady by the name of Astharoshe? **Or the Private Investigator Company called Got a Hunch?"

"**Astharoshe?" Endre raised an eyebrow. "Astharoshe Asran?** That little girl?" He opened his mouth to continue but paused at the second set of details. "Got a Hunch? They have a branch in the Empire…" He chewed his bottom lip. "They… they are a problem."

* * *

Mar woke up lying on her back, a warm body on each side of her. She tried to shift slightly to dislodge Sain's head from under her chin so she could looked down at what should be Brian's head on her stomach. For a moment she couldn't move, the suite had gray washed walls, bars blocked the window...

And there was a shadow in the corner.

The second Mar's body decided it was going to cooperate with her, she lurched to sitting upright, sending the other two sprawling. They reacted quickly, Brian rolling off the bed and under it before tossing Vera (where it was hiding) to Sain. Sain had it cocked and ready for firing before Mar was fully awake.

"This is why I don't sleep on my back." Mar wheezed. "Sleep Paralysis people!"

When you sleep, your body locks up so when you dream of running, your body doesn't actually run (into a wall or off your bed). For people suffering from Sleep Paralysis, their mind wakes up and becomes mostly conscious but their body is still locked. Sometimes the person feels that there is another person in the room. Another presence.

Which is how the legends of Succubus and Incubus came to be. Men with Sleep Paralysis thought they slept with a Succubus while women thought it was an Incubus. The Succubus and Incubus were really the same demon, taking from the man and impregnating the woman.

Or at least, that's what people believed. Mar never saw demons. The humans in her memory were scary enough.

"Sorry Mar." Brian rolled out from under the bed and sat on it. Brian was more of a pacifist than Abel was partly because of philosophy but mostly because hurting people _hurt_ him.

Whereas Sain who would happily kill anything that disturbed Mar. Mar would be the same, but since Sain was already disturbed…

"It's too early." Sain grumbled before curling around Vera, still cocked.

"Sain be careful please. There are people above us." Mar got off the bed, rolling her shoulder. They had checked the dam that separated Venice's lagoon from the ocean and came home in the afternoon, only having to run from the Venetian cops once. Shower… yes, a shower sounds lovely.

"And an Abel massage." Sain purred in her ear. Mar shuddered and pushed her away.

"Ooo! Can I get an Abel massage?" Brian teased from the bed. Mar gave them both a one finger salute before shutting the bathroom door. Mar was never a morning person, especially after waking up like that.

The two outside remained silent until the shower started.

"So… Abel…" Brian leaned backward until he was horizontal on the bed with his legs still crossed.

Sain blinked at him. "My name is Sain. I thought you knew this."

"No, no, no." Brian shook his head before lightly pushing Sain. "You tease, you know what I mean."

"That you approve? Or disapprove."

Brian chewed his bottom lip as he mulled over the thoughts and feelings in his head. When you grow up with a lot of girls, you tend to realize that they don't think the way boys do and if you want them to know what's going on with you, you need to be specific.

He rolled over onto his side away from Sain and stared at the wall.

"I think I'm jealous."

"What?" Sain moved until she was spooning him, her head on his neck.

"Well, you have Hugue and Mar is… what _are_ she and Abel doing?"

"Being complicated. I have the feeling that's what he does best. And Mar is letting him."

Brian groaned. When you became Mar's friend, she had a habit of just supporting you with all your character flaws and some people would have just walked all over her if Sain hadn't given them what for.

"Besides," Sain continued, "You have June."

Brian groaned again but this time like he was physically hurt. "June is…" He shuddered. "She lives in a hole in the ground! She hates sunlight-!"

"I did tell you that you smell like swamp when you're out in the sun too long, right?"

He opened his mouth to respond but then she started laughing hysterically.

"Nice punch Abel!"

The bathroom door opened. "What about Abel?"

* * *

**Abel looked down at his clenched fist, bewildered. "Did I just do that?" he asked innocently.**

Asthe and Abel had successfully infiltrated the casino INRI, she in a sweetheart mask, he in a doctor's. After finding Foscarina's boyfriend, Georgioni Russo, he denied ever really being her boyfriend and accused her of being, well, loose. Of course, the words he used one would not say in front of their mother.

It was a good thing that Abel punched him then, because if he hadn't, Asthe would have and she hit a lot harder.

Unfortunately, that was the match to light the bar fight.

**Security guards grabbed Abel. One of them locked Abel's arm behind his back. Another kicked him in the stomach**. Abel clenched the muscles there in preparation for the attack.

"**Gwarg!"**

**The groan didn't come from the Priest. The guard that had kicked Abel got poked in the throat with a long, elegant finger. He covered his neck in agony.**

**Asthe smiled. "I like this."**

**Asthe's dress was perfect for fighting. The high seams in her skirt kept her legs unrestricted enough to kick a man in the face. So she did. Repeatedly.** She made a mental note to thank Sain for her choice in dress, but not footwear. The heels on her feet were killing her.

'_But…'_ Her thoughts trailed off as she took note of the damage the shoes were doing to the unsuspecting guards. "If only there were more comfortable." She mused aloud. They would really take off in the Empire.

* * *

"We need to go now." Sain said suddenly. Brian looked at her as he walked out of the bathroom, still pulling on his 'Pluto: revolve in Peace' t-shirt. The things Mar could find.

"Now?" He asked, searching for his shoes. Mar tossed them to him, one at a time as she came upon them.

"Yes now. Now, now, now, now! If you don't understand that, which language should I say it in? We need to go right now or _people will die_!"

* * *

I hope this doesn't feel choppy to anyone. I'm trying to keep everything concise and no pack so much unnecessary things in.

As for Sleep Paralysis, I suffer from this. It only lasts for a few seconds and only happens when I sleep on my back. And for a long time I thought the room in my house was haunted because I would make up and not be able to move or see and then realize I've stuck my own fingers in my mouth to try to get some sound out of myself. I'm not sure that Mar's version conveys how scary it can be, but I tried.

Please review!

Posted: 2/25/11

Updated: 2/25/11

Reviews required: 3

Reviews received: 0

State of the next chapter: Not yet written but I get out of class early today... Should be done by Monday, promise!


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